"The Charleston Academy of Music is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.
Your tax-deductible gift allows CAM to continue providing high quality music instruction and performance opportunities to the children of the Charleston area regardless of background."
“We have come a long way in 7 years of operation and have passed our love of classical music on to more than 785 students. We have recruited and maintained one of the most prestigious faculties in the Southeast, making the Charleston Academy of Music a regional standard in quality musical education. One of our main goals is to reach children who do not have the opportunity to come in contact with classical music, and cannot afford quality private lessons. With the help of foundations and private donors, we have been able to offer scholarships to our Honors Program students, and establish the Kidzymphony Orchestra Program. Your donations will expose children to classical music, who otherwise would not have the opportunity.”
Your tax-deductible gift allows CAM to continue providing high quality music instruction and performance opportunities to the children of the Charleston area regardless of background."
“We have come a long way in 7 years of operation and have passed our love of classical music on to more than 785 students. We have recruited and maintained one of the most prestigious faculties in the Southeast, making the Charleston Academy of Music a regional standard in quality musical education. One of our main goals is to reach children who do not have the opportunity to come in contact with classical music, and cannot afford quality private lessons. With the help of foundations and private donors, we have been able to offer scholarships to our Honors Program students, and establish the Kidzymphony Orchestra Program. Your donations will expose children to classical music, who otherwise would not have the opportunity.”
Honors Program
In 2005, we started the Honors Program funded by the Coastal Community Foundation, SC Arts Commission and private donors. This allowed us to recognize talented youth who were not able to afford CAM tuition from Charleston, Berkeley and Dorchester counties. The Honors Program scholarship students receive private lessons as well as Theory classes and Chamber Music ensemble classes. Their achievements have been phenomenal. Honors Program students have won local, state and national competitions and two students were accepted to the Governor’s School in Greenville, SC.
CAM Honors Program students have proven that with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude their dreams and goals are not too far out of reach. Gary Washington was a part of the first CAM Honors Program, receiving a full scholarship. It was difficult for Gary’s family to support his musical pursuit, and even with all the cards stacked against him Gary never gave up. He was one of the two students accepted to the Governor’s School in Greenville in the Fall 09 where his inspirational story caught the attention of the local media.
Current CAM Honors Program student Micah McLaurin studies under renowned pianist, Enrique Graf. Micah won first place at the 2009 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, was the National Guild auditions winner, the 2007 Music Teacher’s National Audition SC state winner, and SC Piano Festival Audition ETV representative two consecutive years. He also won 2nd place in the 2008 International Institute of Young Musician’s International Piano Competition, and performed in such prestigious series as the International Piano Series and with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
CAM Honors Program students have proven that with hard work, dedication, and a positive attitude their dreams and goals are not too far out of reach. Gary Washington was a part of the first CAM Honors Program, receiving a full scholarship. It was difficult for Gary’s family to support his musical pursuit, and even with all the cards stacked against him Gary never gave up. He was one of the two students accepted to the Governor’s School in Greenville in the Fall 09 where his inspirational story caught the attention of the local media.
Current CAM Honors Program student Micah McLaurin studies under renowned pianist, Enrique Graf. Micah won first place at the 2009 Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra’s Concerto Competition, was the National Guild auditions winner, the 2007 Music Teacher’s National Audition SC state winner, and SC Piano Festival Audition ETV representative two consecutive years. He also won 2nd place in the 2008 International Institute of Young Musician’s International Piano Competition, and performed in such prestigious series as the International Piano Series and with the Charleston Symphony Orchestra.
Outreach
In 2006, we started the Outreach Program that allowed us to introduce and provide the opportunity to play instruments to students who would not have had access to classical music. We began with 6 piano students at Memminger Elementary School. In the past three years, we have offered piano, voice, violin and guitar at Memminger, and after 2 years we have realized how much of a reward and a challenge outreach will be. We currently have 5 students in guitar who study two days a week, and 7 students in violin who study three days a week.
The challenge facing CAM is not unique among music preparatory schools. We have spent a great deal of time researching successful youth outreach programs and have found a great program from Venezuela, “El Sistema” which started 30 years ago and now reaches 265,000 kids every year. We started Kidzymphony in the Fall of 2009 at Meeting Street Academy. Currently we are working with 21 kids ranging in age from 5 to 7. Kidzymphony is a 3 year pilot program. 1st year goal was to start a beginning orchestra and create its curriculum. 2nd year goal is to start another beginning orchestra and the 1st year’s beginning orchestra will go on to the intermediate orchestra. 3rd year, we will be completing the curriculum and business strategy that will work for more schools.
This program was made possible by foundations and private donors who believe in public education. The instruments are provided for the students who are working with 4 teachers in one hour sessions every day after school, where they learn to play the violin, viola or cello. With the help of kind donations, we hope to continue our pilot program so that we will be able to reach out to more schools with the Kidzymphony Orchestra Program. For the 2010 and 2011 school years, we hope to have established two Kidzymphony Programs at Meeting Street Academy, along with one at Memminger Elementary.
The challenge facing CAM is not unique among music preparatory schools. We have spent a great deal of time researching successful youth outreach programs and have found a great program from Venezuela, “El Sistema” which started 30 years ago and now reaches 265,000 kids every year. We started Kidzymphony in the Fall of 2009 at Meeting Street Academy. Currently we are working with 21 kids ranging in age from 5 to 7. Kidzymphony is a 3 year pilot program. 1st year goal was to start a beginning orchestra and create its curriculum. 2nd year goal is to start another beginning orchestra and the 1st year’s beginning orchestra will go on to the intermediate orchestra. 3rd year, we will be completing the curriculum and business strategy that will work for more schools.
This program was made possible by foundations and private donors who believe in public education. The instruments are provided for the students who are working with 4 teachers in one hour sessions every day after school, where they learn to play the violin, viola or cello. With the help of kind donations, we hope to continue our pilot program so that we will be able to reach out to more schools with the Kidzymphony Orchestra Program. For the 2010 and 2011 school years, we hope to have established two Kidzymphony Programs at Meeting Street Academy, along with one at Memminger Elementary.
Recent Student Achievements
Achievement Day,
CAM piano students Andrew Wong, Selina Pi, and Andrew Kilby were selected to play in the Honor's Recital at this year's Achievement Day, with Steven Lu acting as an alternate. Michael Pi received Crescendo I trophy, and Alexander Miller received Crescendo II trophy.
The following CAM students also participated and received awards at this year's Achievement Day: Lauren Cox, Nikki Dawson, Hannah Obenaus, Esther Yu, Fanny Cheung, Sam Biggerstaff, Alexander Miller, Sonny June Way, Tradd Zanin, Terry Roddey, and Sasha Grigorieff. They are students of Matthew Parker, Irina Pevzner, Shannon Fitzhenry and Eunjoo Yun.
CSOL Scholarship Winners,
CAM Honors Program students Micah McLaurin, Shannon Fitzhenry, and Nicholas Bentz were among 22 students to receive summer study scholarships from the Charleston Symphony Orchestra League. Micah will study piano under Enrique Graf this summer, and Shannon and Nicholas, currently studying under Yuriy Bekker, have been accepted to the Aspen Music Festival where they will study violin.
As our appreciation for your generosity, we will send you some wonderful gifts according to the level in which your "contribution total" falls under:
FRIEND (if your contribution totals $50~$499)
*copy of CAM DVD
ASSOCIATE (if your contribution totals $500~$1,499)
*copy of CAM DVD
*2 tickets to an IPS concert
PATRON (if your contribution totals $1,500~$2,999)
*copy of CAM DVD
*2 tickets to an IPS concert
*2 CDs from IPS collection
BENEFACTOR (if your contribution totals $3,000~$4,499)
*copy of CAM DVD
*2 tickets to an IPS concert
*3 CDs from IPS collection
*invitation to "Members Only" events
VISIONARY (if your contribution totals $4,500+)
*copy of CAM DVD
*tickets to an IPS concert
*4 CDs from IPS collection
*invitation to "Members Only" events
*one year free tuition at CAM